This invention relates to the automatic control of manufacturing processes or assembly lines in which articles are conveyed through a series of processes, conveying stations and/or operations, which will be referred to generally as process stations.
More specifically the invention relates to the control of the mechanical handling systems and the speeds of operation of the conveyor systems within a batch manufacturing system. Such systems include plants for the manufacture of pies, loaves, biscuits, etc., or any item initially produced in batches. Items of this type pass through various processes during their manufacture from initial forming to the completed and finished commodity. The control system is not limited to foodstuffs but may be used for the manufacture of any batch produced item which passes through several processes and is transferred from station to station by continuously moving conveyor or cyclic mechanical handling means.
Existing systems have disadvantages because each process in the system must have a finite time to be completed. Each process time will probably be different and may be required to be changed during the manufacturing day, to produce a satisfactory product. This means that bunching between processes may occur or inter-process storage may be required.